2020 Emmy Nomination Predictions: Final Predictions - Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Drama Series

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Jonathan Banks "Better Call Saul"

Billy Crudup "The Morning Show"

Kieran Culkin "Succession"

Giancarlo Esposito "Better Call Saul"

Matthew Macfayden "Succession"

Josh O'Connor "The Crown"

Tom Pelphrey "Ozark"

Bradley Whitford "The Handmaid's Tale"

Other Contenders - David Harbour "Stranger Things", Mandy Patinkin "Homeland", Jeffrey Wright "Westworld", Ed Harris "Westworld", Chris Sullivan "This is Us", Joseph Fiennes "The Handmaid's Tale", Delroy Lindo "The Good Fight", Nicholas Braun "Succession", Mark Duplass "The Morning Show"

Commentary - A huge race this year, in terms of the number of nominees, and I think a lot of new surprises. There are at least four slots available, and I think Sullivan will be bumped out, leaving just Banks and Esposito, although Eposito is not safe.  I think Whitford easily makes the jump to Supporting, and that the two supporting Succession guys, Macfayden and Culkin, ride the Succession wave to nominations. Tom Pelphrey is a name being thrown around a lot, due to his scene-stealing role in Ozark. He is not a household name, but if voters are watching the show, its hard to ignore him. Billy Crudup got a SAG nod and won the Critics Choice. Finally, I am going with Josh O'Connor. He is an upstart favorite, is great in The Crown, and could be this year's Matt Smith or Vanessa Kirby. But that leaves out so many recent nominees including Sullivan, Joseph Fiennes, David Harbour, Mandy Patinkin, Ed Harris, and Jeffrey Wright, along with some good possibilities like Lindo, Braun, and Duplass. 

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Helena Bonham Carter "The Crown"

Laura Dern "Big Little Lies"

Ann Dowd "The Handmaid's Tale" 

Julia Garner "Ozark"

Janet McTeer "Ozark" 

Thandie Newton "Westworld"

Sarah Snook "Succession"

Meryl Streep "Big Little Lies"

Other Contenders - Fiona Shaw "Killing Eve", Rhea Seehorn "Better Call Saul", Yvonne Strahovski "The Handmaid's Tale", Millie Bobby Brown "Stranger Things", Gugu Mbatha-Raw "The Morning Show", Cynthia Erivo "The Outsider", J. Cameron-Smith "Succession", Susan Kelechi-Watson "This is Us", Chrissy Metz "This is Us", Tessa Thompson "Westworld", Holly Hunter "Succession"

Commentary - Four slots are open with the Game of Thrones, and Fiona Shaw getting in last year could happen again, but let's face it, Killing Eve Season 3 didn't inspire much confidence. So instead, I am going with only Garner returning. Expect Streep and Dern to get in, even in Big Little Lies misses out on the top slot. Carter is a lock for The Crown, and could win. Newton and Dowd feel like they will return after recent wins. Snook's switch to Supporting should pay off, and in the final slot I am going with the veteran McTeer in an incredibly buzzed show. Beyond those eight and Shaw, there is Rhea Seehorn, who couldn't get in last year with a lot less competition, maybe it just isn't going to happen. Strahovski, Brown, and Metz could return, Erivo just got double Oscar nominees, Mbatha-Raw is great, Cameron-Smith and Hunter could ride the Succession train, and Kelechi-Watson and Thompson should be in, so maybe they might actually will.